Mahela expects coin to turn in favour of him

Elmo Rodrigopulle from New Zealand

CRICKET: The Sri Lankan cricketers will forget the reverse they suffered in Christchurch where they lost the First Test to New Zealand by five wickets inside three days and go for the jagular from the first ball when they meet in the final Test beginning at the Basin Reserve here.

The Lankans had a strenuous workout at the nets and every player took it seriously. While the batsmen middled the ball, the bowlers were on line, while the fielding session too was a hard workout.

However allrounder Chaminda Vaas was an absentee at the training session being confined to his hotel room suffering with slight flu and not wanting to expose. But he will take the field and as usual will give his all in Sri Lanka's push for victory.

Vaas had promised to make his first Test century on this tour. Although he failed to do so in Christchurch, is determined to realise his dream in this game.

Though the Lankans named their playing eleven two days before the Christchurch Test,they have left their options open till the morning of the match, where they will take a close look at the wicket before naming the final squad.

The Lankans are undecided on whether to continue with Ferveez Maharoof or give the hostile Akalanka Ganegama his first Test cap. But the gut feeling is that the Lankans would play the same side that lost at Christchurch.

As for Chamara Silva he will play. Although he made an inauspicious start to his Test career with double ducks coach Tom Moody said that he was the inform batsman coming into the First Test and that they will stick with him.

The wicket looks a very dry one sans grass and if the side batting first could safely see through the first hour, batting on it would be comparatively easy as the game progresses. When the coin is spun, captain Mahela Jayawardena will be praying that the coin turns in his favour.

It looks a 400 plus wicket and if the Lankan batsmen make it their business to get close to that target, then they can put the Kiwis under pressure and with their batsmen jelly kneed when Muttiah Muralitheran comes on to turn on his magic, can strangle the Kiwis.

Openers, the two lefties Upul Tharanga and Sanath Jayasuriya must temper caution with aggression,but above all endeavour to keep their wickets intact for to stay long at the wicket would be to make big runs.

Kumar Sangakkara will continue his form from where he left off in Christchurch, while Jayawardena, Kapugedera, Silva, Prassana Jayawardena, Vaas and Maharoof should also make runs. Shane Bond is the one who could trouble the batsmen with his express speed.

Tom Moody the Lankan coach said at the pre match media briefing: The players have realized where we went wrong in Christchurch. We've been trying to replicate the conditions in our training in Colombo, but nothing like coming and playing here. The players wear three or four clothing to cover themselves and then there's the strong wind here in Wellington. We can do all the preparations we need, but nothing like coming and playing here.

"It doesn't matter whether you are bowling into the wind or bowling against it. The bowlers have got a job to do it and they need to do it. I don't see any wind experts in the Kiwi line up and our bowlers need to be up to the task.

We got to remain focused in this Test Match. It's no secret that our batting cost us the game. Our top order with the exception of Sangakkara didn't adapt to conditions. We have quality in our batting line up and there are in form batsmen as well and it's just a matter of going out there and performing.

"Leading up to the first Test, Chamara Silva was our in form batsman. He just faced five balls in the Test Match and that's not enough to judge how good he is at the top level.

"The most common Muralitheran dismissal is when players try to cut him and get clean bowled. But coming round the wicket has given him other methods to get players out Muralitheran is looking forward to playing in the Basin Reserve. Of all the leading Test venues in the world, this is the only place where Murali hasn't played. This is a big ground and spinners like bowling in these grounds.

"The wicket is a good Test wicket and better than the one in Christchurch", said Jayawardena.

BASIN RESERVE, Wellington, Thursday